From the start, the perspective leaves us perplexed, or at least dreamy.
Two days of travel to get to Bosnia-Herzegovina, a small territory of 3.5 million inhabitants in the heart of the Balkans... Six countries to cross before reaching its capital Sarajevo, which will celebrate the 40th anniversary of its Winter Olympics, an event that marked the history of the city.
The plane would be the easy solution: a first flight, then a stopover in Zagreb, Vienna or Belgrade, and here we are, arriving about five hours later.
But we give in to the sirens of slowness and the most ecological means of transport, the train, to cover these 1800 km.
To reach the Western Balkans, a region which includes Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Albania, we choose to go through Croatia by first taking a TGV Paris-Stuttgart (3h15 journey), then a night train to its capital Zagreb (14h).
Another option exists: reach Zurich, in Switzerland (4 hours), then take a night train there too (15 hours).
Finally, we will finish our journey by bus to Sarajevo.
We tell you.
Also readWinter trip to Sarajevo, for the 40th anniversary of the Peace Games
A first step in Stuttgart
Departure is from the Gare de l'Est, in Paris.
The connection to Stuttgart, provided by SNCF and Deutsche Bahn, includes stops in Strasbourg and Karlsruhe, in particular.
Once arrived in the capital of Baden-Württemberg, a short detour via the station lockers to take a light stroll (€3 to €5, depending on the size of your luggage).
Then, head to the Museum of Illusion (Museum der Illusionen), a 15-minute walk away, which will appeal to young and old alike.
For fans of beautiful cars, a must-visit is the Mercedes-Benz and Porsche museums, easily accessible by public transport.
Our advice for visiting Stuttgart.
At first glance, the city may seem unwelcoming with its modern buildings and its colossal works, including those of the station.
Its city center and the Feuersee district, which stands out with its lakeside church, will change your mind.
Looking for height?
We climb to the top of the Stuttgart television tower (Fernsehturm Stuttgart).
The view of the city is worth the detour.
Also read These five night trains to take in Europe
Waking up in Zagreb, capital of Croatia
After a night on the train from Stuttgart or Zurich, visit the capital of Croatia, Zagreb.
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This is the big stage of this trip, with 800 km covered in 14 hours.
At Stuttgart station, before boarding the night train, check the number of your car carefully, as some are heading towards Venice.
Even if the ticket is purchased on the website of the Austrian ÖBB, it is trains from the Croatian company HŽPP which transport us.
And if you find seats and berths in shared compartments, you opt for the private cabin for maximum comfort.
Our little kingdom consists of three beds, foldable according to the number of occupants, as well as a sink.
As welcome gifts: a croissant, a small bottle of water and a cleaning wipe.
It is better to have dinner before, or at least to have taken a snack with you, because there is no catering service on board.
Few electrical outlets, adjustment of lights and heating... The equipment is from another era, but has the merit of working.
Another downside: the cabin does not close from the outside, only from the inside, which requires us to be vigilant if we have to be absent.
What’s stopping us from enjoying our trip?
Not really.
Our bed turns out to be much more comfortable than at first glance and makes us forget the movements and noises of the train.
Waking up to the mountains of Slovenia is a spectacle in itself.
The small country of two million inhabitants presents itself in its most beautiful aspects, with a passage through Bled, then its capital Ljubljana.
A breakfast, consisting of a hot drink (tea or coffee), bread with butter and jam, a chocolate cake and fruit juice, is offered if you are traveling in private cabin.
Our advice for visiting Zagreb
Often neglected in favor of the popular Split and Dubrovnik, the Croatian capital has a lot to offer.
From the station, the city center is easily accessible on foot.
The upper town lets us discover its little architectural gems.
The Museum of Broken Relationships is a favorite.
With its unusual objects and the reading of certain moving stories, it rarely leaves one indifferent.
The famous Zagreb Cathedral is currently under renovation, but should soon reveal its jewels.
Peckish ?
We sit down at La Štruk, a small restaurant which offers one of the great Croatian specialties, štrukli, a mix between ravioli and donuts, drowned in cream.
Read alsoDiscovering the Dolac market, the belly of Zagreb
From Zagreb to Sarajevo, a story of the Balkan borders
The bus makes a stop in Banja Luka, the capital of the Serbian Republic of Bosnia.
Here, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
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Once in Croatia, all that remains is Bosnia-Herzegovina.
This country, unlike its Balkan neighbors, remains landlocked from a railway point of view.
The connection between Zagreb and Sarajevo has been stopped since 2016 due to a disagreement between the national railway companies.
Same complexity on the side of Serbia, whose capital Belgrade was connected to Sarajevo in the past, as
Life is a Miracle
by Emir Kusturica, released in 2004, reminds us. For this film, the multi-award winning director financed the renovation of 10 kilometers of disused tracks that connected Belgrade to Sarajevo and Dubrovnik, before the start of the Bosnian war in 1992. In 2009, the revival of a Belgrade-Sarajevo railway line was an event in itself, before it was closed again.
The only glimmer of hope in this forced isolation: the reopening in 2022 of a summer connection between Sarajevo and the seaside resort of Ploče, in Croatia, an initiative renewed in the summer of 2023. Enough to hope for a lasting connection between Zagreb and Sarajevo ?
Maybe.
But for now, our choice is limited and the bus is the best way to reach the Bosnian capital.
At the bus station, located a 20-minute walk from the train station, the lack of directions invites us to approach the staff.
The comfort of our bus from the Bosnian company Centrotrans is basic: there is little room for legs and luggage.
Not the best conditions to tackle this 400 km journey completed... in 8h30!
The lack of highways means you have to take many winding roads in the Dinaric Alps.
Above all, the journey time is extended by crossing the border.
If Slovenia and Croatia have now joined the Schengen area, the same is not true of Bosnia-Herzegovina, still at the candidate stage to join the European Union.
And the tensions between the different countries of former Yugoslavia do not always facilitate cross-border travel.
Read alsoAs a family, traveling by night train often costs less than by plane
We enjoy the view of Sarajevo from the top of Mount Trebević, accessible from the city by cable car.
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Our entry point: the small Bosnian town of Gradiška.
In our case, the crossing lasted less than an hour, time for everyone to get off the bus, show their ID to the border guards (ID and passport are both accepted) , to answer one or two questions if necessary, then to get back into our carriage.
However, the wait can get longer in summer, when there are long lines of cars.
During this journey through Bosnian territory, we pass through nearly twenty towns, including Banja Luka, the capital of the Serbian Republic of Bosnia, one of the three entities that constitute today's Bosnia.
Our advice for visiting Sarajevo.
In France, the city is known for having been the scene of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the triggering event of the First World War, then for its siege in the 1990s. Because of this, the “Jerusalem of Europe” still suffers from a negative reputation in Western Europe.
However, you have to visit it to change your mind.
Baščaršija, its typically Ottoman historic district, immerses us in a part of European history.
Not far away, buildings with Austro-Hungarian inspirations are lined up.
Sarajevo's recent history, marked by war and its siege, is also visible in various museums, including the moving War Childhood Museum.
Since the city is surrounded by mountains, it is also very easy to engage in certain activities, such as hiking and skiing.
Mount Trebević is reached via a cable car.
The other major rockies, including Jahorina, home to the largest ski area in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Bjelašnica, known for its challenging ski slopes, are also within a few kilometers of the town.
What budget should you plan?
Our trip from Stuttgart to Zagreb by night train
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A one-way ticket from Paris to Sarajevo is possible for at least a hundred euros, provided you plan your reservations well in advance.
For the Paris-Stuttgart TGV, count at least €39 for a second class ticket.
The Stuttgart-Zagreb night train is accessible from €24.90 per seat, but for a restful night, you will rather choose a berth, a bed or a private compartment, offered respectively at €39.90, €69.90 € and €124.90 minimum.
Finally, the bus to Sarajevo costs between €35 and €40.
Another solution if you want to save money and/or extend your trip: opt for the Interrail pass.
This ticket allows unlimited travel on trains and ferries in 33 countries, including those in the Balkans (except Albania).
The opportunity, for example, to travel the Sarajevo-Mostar line, one of the most beautiful lines in Europe.
Main advantages: the pass leaves a lot of room for improvisation and allows you to always travel at the same price, whether you anticipate reservations or leave at the last minute.
For this itinerary, if you are traveling there and back by train, we recommend at least a 4-day pass over 1 month (€283 in 2nd class, €359 in 1st class for an adult; reduction of 10 to 15% for under 27s and over 60s).
Added to this are compulsory supplements to take high-speed trains (around twenty euros) and night trains (from a few euros to a hundred depending on the comfort chosen).
If you are traveling as a family, Interrail is free for children up to and including 11 years old, but there is a charge for their reservations.
How to organize your trip and book your tickets?
As the route crosses several countries, you have to juggle between the sites of several companies to find out the timetables and buy your tickets.
Mandatory reservations with Interrail are made on these same sites.
SNCF (sncf-connect.com) or Deutsche Bahn (bahn.de): Paris-Stuttgart;
ÖBB/Nightjet (nightjet.com): Stuttgart-Zagreb;
Flixbus (flixbus.fr): Zagreb-Sarajevo (the ticket is sold by Flixbus but the journey is operated by a local company).
Rail route of the month
From the small picturesque line to the long journey through several countries,
Le Figaro Voyage
offers you every month an idea for an itinerary to take by train.
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